Once Upon A Gargoyle
by sagehawk
Summary: During a bad storm in Storybrooke, Emma tells Regina where she got her red leather jacket.
1. Chapter 1

Once Upon A Gargoyle

Note: Don't own anything.

This idea came to me after noticing that Emma and Elisa both wear a red leather jacket. This takes time somewhere after 'The Queen Is Dead'. Neal doesn't stay in Storybrooke.

Chapter One

As Emma passed the 'welcome to Storybrooke' sign relief washed over her. She had been driving in pouring down rain for what seemed like hours. She had agreed to drive the six hours it took to take Neal back to Boston. David had volunteered to go with, but she declined. After the first hour driving back home alone she wished that she had accepted his invitation.

Her yellow bug pulled up to her mother's apartment when she realized she had given her only key to Henry a few days before after he had lost his. She sighed as realized no one would be up to let her in side. She decided she would drive around a bit until she got tired herself.

Every light in Storybrooke, it seemed was off, except one. Regina's living room light shone brightly in the contrast of the dark neighborhood. Considering all that had happened lately Emma was curious as to why the woman was still awake. Perhaps she was still losing sleep due to losing her mother? Or maybe she was planning some other devious scheme to get Henry back. Either way, for some reason Emma decided she would knock. At the very least she still owed Regina an apology for falsely accusing her of murder.

"Miss Swan, it is 2 in the morning-"

"Yeah, I know. You just tried to kill my mother; the least you could do is not go straight to bitching." Emma said cutting Regina off. The rain was still coming down hard and the overhang above Regina's steps wasn't doing much to shield Emma from the weather. Regina sighed and opened the door a bit further to let the blonde woman in. Once inside, Regina disappeared briefly only to appear again throwing a towel at Emma's head.

"At least make sure you don't track filth through my house. Don't the good guys believe in umbrellas?" Regina remarked while making air quotes over the words 'good guys'. Emma ignored her and continued drying off. Her red leather jacket however, would need more than a towel to save.

"You can hang that wretched thing up over here to dry." Regina said, motioning Emma to follow her. "Where did you get that thing anyways?" It was a rhetorical question, Emma knew, but she always had a tendency to answer them anyways, especially since it annoyed Regina.

"I'll tell you if you tell me what you are doing up so late." Emma said.

Regina threw Emma a sideways glance as she hung up Emma's damp leather jacket. She walked back passed Emma back in to the living room and started pouring two drinks. Emma was sure she wouldn't get an answer, but when Regina turned and handed her a drink, she said, "Ever since Henry left I can't seem to get to sleep." Emma gave her a sad smile. Regina looked away taking a drink, not wanting to acknowledge the pity Emma seemed to be so willing in supply of. "Anyways, why are you hear?" Regina demanded, egar to change the subject.

"Oh, I forgot my keys when I went and took Neal to Boston. Your light is the only one on in all of Storybrooke. I didn't want to wake anyone, and well I just wanted to apologize for accusing you…" Emma trailed off. Regina's lips were pressed in a thin line, and her eyebrows were knitted together. She downed the rest of the alcohol in her glass then turned and pored herself more.

"So, spill. Where did you get that atrocity?" The darker haired woman mumbled.

"Well, it's…um… a long story… actually." Came Emma's nervous response.

"Well, I am not going to bed any time soon." Regina stated.


	2. Chapter 2

Note: I have no clue how being a bail bonds person works so forgive me if this is not how it works… im just making this shit up as I go haha!

Chapter Two

"I know this isn't the type of job you usually take Swan, but its payout is more than worth it." An overly tired, over weight man handed her an envelope. Tony Drecon was writing on the outside.

"It's in Manhattan, New York. The police are having a hard time getting him on anything that he has done." He continued to explain. "He's blown up a few establishments who won't give him protection money." Emma looked at him nervously, and handed the envelope back towards him.

"Sounds way to high risk for me; I don't generally like getting blown up." She said.

"No, no…" He said pushing it back towards her. "You are going to want it. From what I hear you are 2 months behind on all your bills. This will pay for that and more. Otherwise, if you lose your place we may have to fire you as well. You need a base, and if you're operating out of a car I doubt you will get any job done that I give you."

Emma sighed pulling the contents out of the envelope. Her eye brows rose at the money she would be receiving. That is, if she didn't get blown up in the process.

"Now we are going to be working with the police on this one. So be on your best behavior Swan." He told her as she left.

[x]

"Wait, stop… you expect me to believe that you took a job that could get you blown up?" Regina looked at Emma with a raised eye brow.  
"It offered a lot of money!" Emma said in her defence trying to look convincing. Regina just stared back unconvinced.

"We had a deal, no bull shit Ms. Swan." Regina said sternly. Leaning back on the couch relaxing a bit. Emma could of swore she saw a slight amused smile grace the more serious woman.

"Okay okay… there was no job. I wasn't even behind on my bills…" Emma looked at her hands for a moment. "It's just I figured you'd believe this over…" Emma sighed.

"Over what?" Regina prompted.

"You will never believe me." She said as she too leaned back on the couch to get more comfortable.

"Oh please! I am the Evil Queen dear, what story could be so unbelievable that not even I would believe such a tale?"

Emma took a deep breath and began the real story on how she became the owner of her red leather jacket.

[x]

Emma had been on her way back home from being out of town, when her yellow bug decided to blow a tire. Luckily she was not on the interstate and had decided to pull off an exit in to Manhattan to find a hotel for the night. It was raining heavily and the roads were slick with an inch coating of water. She knew she forgot to replace her last spare so her only bet was to walk in the pouring rain to a hotel and figure it out in the morning.

Through the sheets of rain Emma looked around and discovered that she wasn't in the greatest part of the city. She would be lucky enough to find a 3 star motel at this rate. After a few blocks she was finally able to see a vacancy sign. She sped up her walking pace in her excitement and ran in to a man also hurrying through the rain.

"Watch it!" he snapped. She mumbled sorry and walked even faster. Once she arrived she walked up to the main desk.

"Single room please." She said. The man behind the counter nodded.

"seventy five…" he grunted at her. Emma pierced her lips together… _seventy five dollars for this shit hole? _ She sighed and reached for her back pocket. Her eyes widened in panic. Her wallet was gone.

"I am sorry I miss placed my-"

"Listen if you aint got money get the hell out! This aint no charity!" the man said interrupting her.

"Do you at least have a phone?" she asked.

"Like I said this aint no bloody charity!"

Emma sighed and stepped back out in to the rain. _This is going to be a long night. _She decided that she could at least sleep in her car where it was some what dry, so she made her way back in that direction. She was almost there when suddenly a man appeared in front of her.

"Can I help you miss?" He asked.

"No I just need to get to my car." Emma said and procided to pass him.

"I don't think that is going to be possible." Said another man appearing to her side.

"Look, I don't need this… I just-" A scream suddenly sounded loudly through the ally. It was unhuman and like nothing Emma had ever heard. She looked up and saw a black streak. When she looked back at the two men they were gone.

"What the…" suddenly she heard two loud thuds behind her. She spun around and couldn't believe what she saw. A large blue-ish creature, humanoid with large bat like wings and glowing white eyes stared back at her through the rain.

[x]

"Miss. Swan! I said no bull shit stories!" Regina said interrupting Emma's story.

"I told you, you wouldn't believe me!" Emma said standing up and moving to the window. "It's true!" She ran her fingers through her hair and looked back at Regina. "I told you bombs were more believable."

"It's not that, it's just… You saw a giant… gargoyle and yet you still had trouble believing Henry when he told you your mother was Snow White?" Regina said, this time she didn't try to hide her amused smile.

"Um well… yeah…" Emma said looking a little embarrassed.


End file.
